3.) 17 Jun 2017 16:47:33
I find it fascinating that Steve Nichol has come out and said Salah wouldn't get into the starting line up. He put Coutinho on the left. As far as I remember, Coutinho is going to be played from a deeper role. I see an amazing front line in Salah and Mane on the flanks and Firmino or Sturridge up front and maybe Coutinho behind. I know Nicol is entitled to his opinion but I do think he's wrong here. This is just my thinking so don't be giving grief lol.

11.) 18 Jun 2017 03:56:23
I think nicol has a point. If everyone were fully fit would he get in the first team every time? If it mean sacraficing coutinio by playing him in a deeper role? With three up front does coutinio have the physicality to play in the middle of a midfield three? I don't think week in week out he does. He was fantastic in the diamond 442. Salah will be a great addition and I expect him to play often, we need a little more depth to our squad and he will give us that.

{Ed001's Note - how would that be sacrificing Couts? He plays better in that deeper role.}

12.) 18 Jun 2017 04:19:25
He plays well in deeper role as part of a midfield 4 but the proposal someone posted was salah as part of a forward 3 with coutinio dropping deeper. But that would mean as part of a 3 man midfield and I'm not sure Phil has the physicality to play there week in week out. He plays brilliant in a deep role but I don't know if I'd say better than he does in a forward role. A midfield 3 needs to be pretty hard.

{Ed001's Note - physicality? He has been our best tackler by a mile when playing in the deeper role. I really do not know what you watch, obviously just look at his size and think that must make him weak. You have to be British and still obsessed with size over quality, which is why British football is crap. Couts is better there, if your only fear is he is not 'physical' enough, then I worry for you as it shows a real lack of understanding of modern day football. Is your name Allardyce? Perhaps Pulis? Thank god we didn't sign Kante hey, I bet he would have really struggled wouldn't he? Is this the 1970s?}

13.) 18 Jun 2017 06:07:19
Hahaha, bravo Ed001. I guess JS missed those games Couts played in midfield. Not only can he get about and tackle like a terrier, he is great at holding onto the ball in tight spaces and can then use it to much better effect with runners ahead of him. Too often when playing as a forward he has nobody in front of him and has wriggle past players while waiting for support or take a shot from distance. Salah or Mané in front of him is going to rip teams to shreds once they find their range.

{Ed001's Note - exactly mate, his best games have come when he has people making runs in front of him, playing further back helps with that. As for his physicality, he is very willing to get stuck in and he is strong, which he has to be to hold onto the ball when he makes his runs. You don't have to be built like Yaya to be physical.}

14.) 18 Jun 2017 08:00:55
I rarely see Couthino bullied off the balll.

Playing him in a deeper role gives him the opportunity to see what's ahead and dictate the game, he can also make runs from deep.

16.) 18 Jun 2017 08:25:14
for me, the point about physicality is more a question of whether Coutinho can play that CM role as tirelessly and effectively as Gini and Lallana do over a full match. there is no doubt that Coutinho can do the things like tackle and track back etc, but I'm not convinced that he has the engine to really impact the game from the middle of the park in that #8 role. I do think it is the most natural progression in his game, but he ain't there yet.

If Coutinho does play deeper, we wouldn't be changing our formation to suit him would we? altho I think that we should if that was the case. say a position behind the main attackers would be perfect for him and then protection behind him. like when he was at the tip of the diamond in suarez time with us. that is perfect for him and allows him to be at his best in the part of the pitch where he is most effective.

17.) 18 Jun 2017 10:29:12
We could play 433, mings in goal, he's been good, Milner and lb, unless we sign a better lb, RB clyne he gets some stick but I like him, cbs, matip and lovren or de virj, midfield Henderson in a cdm and lallana, with can sometimes coming in with Coutinho in left centre midfield, next to lallana, and salah or mane on left and other on right wing and firmino in cf. or we could play same defence with Coutinho and later llama in cm, and salah, firmino and mane in attacking midfield and sturidge or even solanke in strike.

18.) 18 Jun 2017 12:25:21
I've thought for a while now, the reason why he runs hot and cold (as some say) is because he's not played in his best position and that's further back calling the shots, as was proved towards the end of the season. My only worries (if you can call it that) is who else plays with him in the middle, especially if Hendo can prove his fitness, so has to start for me! Thoughts on this Ed?

{Ed001's Note - we have plenty of options there, the issue was always that Couts was needed further forward.}

19.) 18 Jun 2017 13:41:49
How many delicious through balls did couts play when he was deep? The guy is magic for spotting a run behind and weighting a perfect ball! I can't wait to see mane and slash getting those kind of opportunities more.

20.) 18 Jun 2017 13:53:02
I appreciate that Ed, just my middle 3 keeps changing, even without any others coming in, as Lallana starts for me, so that's Couts, Lallana and Hendo, but what about Gini, who has played well and Can who wants to start games, not forgetting Grujic either or Lucas if he stays! At times I'd hate being a manager, but maybe he'll rotate more than he has done and use less youngsters in cup games! We certainly need a better squad depth and use the academy for covering injuries.

22.) 18 Jun 2017 16:39:29
I love coutinio. Let's get that straight. Our best player. He's our best attacking player and although he can lay cm he is a number 10. I would be dissapointed if he played deep every week. I wonder where our world class manager will play him?

23 Jun 2017 07:35:58
Brandt to play at Leverkusen next season then join Bayern for 11m. And we want 15m for Moreno!

CobraCraig

1.) 23 Jun 2017 07:51:03
Does not concern us anymore. Brandt would have joined Bayern at some point anyways so better we targeted a player that wanted to spend his peak years with us irrespective of the cost.

23 Jun 2017 13:10:20
Nathan, it's the sell on value associated with Mbappe that throws his value up, Say they both join and have 3 good seasons, Mbappe value will be substantially higher yet with Augbameyang we have a 31 year old who's value will probably be less.
Obviously a big risk with Mbappe due to his age and inexperience but he looks a real talent and it's no surprise a lot of huge clubs are sniffing around.

18 Jun 2017 21:38:41
Brussels-You saying Karius wasn't poor in those 10 games?
Some players don't even get 10 games to prove themselves. It's a cut throat business and if we gave all players a prolonged period in the team regardless of performance then the team wouldn't be very successful.
That being said I'm not writing Karius off, I think he's got a good chance of being our number 1 (mainly because Mignolet is poor) but from what we have seen at Liverpool it hasn't been great.

25 Jun 2017 07:16:32
The worst one of the lot is people filming games, I just don't understand it. Never been able to see the logic behind it.

CobraCraig

{Ed001's Note - nor me mate. They are actively watching the screen, rather than it live. What on earth is that all about? People are so desperate to ensure other people know what they have been up to, they forget to actually enjoy the moment while they are there.}